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Backup · head to head

Clonezilla vs N-able Backup

Clonezilla logo

Clonezilla

Backup

Free disk cloning and imaging solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
N-able Backup logo

N-able Backup

Backup

Cloud-first backup built for MSPs

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Clonezilla has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Clonezilla the destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition; N-able Backup limited availability for non-Windows environments compared to competitors
  • They diverge on capability: Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, N-able Backup covers Direct-to-cloud backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clonezilla and N-able Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where Clonezilla and N-able Backup differ
AttributeClonezillaN-able Backup
Starting priceFree$20/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, WindowsWindows, Web
Founded20042021

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Clonezilla

  • Disk/partition imaging
  • Disk cloning
  • Multicast deployment
  • Multiple file systems
  • Encryption support
  • Unattended mode
  • PXE boot
  • DRBL

Only in N-able Backup

  • Direct-to-cloud backup
  • Standby image
  • Bare metal recovery
  • LocalSpeedVault
  • TrueDelta incremental
  • Documents protection
  • Microsoft 365
  • VMware

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Clonezilla

  • System backup and cloningnot N-able Backup
  • Disk imaging and restorationnot N-able Backup
  • Mass deployment scenariosnot N-able Backup
  • Enterprise-scale cloning operationsnot N-able Backup

N-able Backup

  • Data protectionnot Clonezilla
  • Disaster recoverynot Clonezilla
  • Business continuitynot Clonezilla
  • Ransomware protectionnot Clonezilla
  • Compliancenot Clonezilla

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Clonezilla

  • The destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition
  • Differential and incremental backup is not implemented
  • Online imaging and cloning is not implemented; the partition being imaged or cloned has to be unmounted first
  • The image format cannot be explored or mounted, so a single file cannot be recovered from an image
  • Recovery media spanning multiple CDs or DVDs is not implemented; the recovery ISO must fit on one disc
  • Clonezilla SE requires a DRBL server to be prepared in advance and the target machine to boot from the network
  • Runs only on x86 or x86-64 processors and needs at least 196 MB of RAM

N-able Backup

  • Limited availability for non-Windows environments compared to competitors
  • MSP-focused product may include features unnecessary for smaller organizations

Pricing, plan by plan

Clonezilla

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Disk cloning
    • Multicast
    • Multiple file systems

N-able Backup

$20/month
  • Backup$20/month
    • Direct-to-cloud
    • Standby image
    • Multi-tenant

Which should you pick?

Choose Clonezilla if

  • You need disk/partition imaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows.
  • You also want disk cloning.
Clonezilla review

Choose N-able Backup if

  • You need direct-to-cloud backup.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want standby image.
N-able Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Clonezilla or N-able Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Clonezilla starts at Free and N-able Backup at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clonezilla or N-able Backup?
Clonezilla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clonezilla and $20/month for N-able Backup.
Does Clonezilla or N-able Backup run on more platforms?
Clonezilla runs on Linux, Windows. N-able Backup runs on Windows, Web.
Can I use Clonezilla for free?
Yes. Clonezilla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. N-able Backup starts at $20/month.
What is Clonezilla best used for?
Clonezilla is most often used for system backup and cloning, disk imaging and restoration, mass deployment scenarios, enterprise-scale cloning operations. Of those, system backup and cloning and disk imaging and restoration are not what N-able Backup is typically brought in for.
What can Clonezilla do that N-able Backup cannot?
Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Disk cloning, Multicast deployment, Multiple file systems. N-able Backup covers Direct-to-cloud backup, Standby image, Bare metal recovery, LocalSpeedVault. Both handle Linux support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clonezilla: Is Clonezilla free?

Yes, Clonezilla is completely free and open-source software licensed under GNU General Public License version 2. There are no paid versions, premium features, or subscription costs.

Source
N-able Backup: What does Cove Data Protection cover?

Cove Data Protection provides unified backup, security, and disaster recovery for servers, workstations, and Microsoft 365, with cloud-native architecture and automatic updates.

Source
Clonezilla: What Clonezilla editions are available at no cost?

All three editions are free: Clonezilla Live for individual machine backups, Clonezilla Lite Server for mass deployment, and Clonezilla SE for large-scale enterprise cloning operations.

Source
N-able Backup: Is hardware required for N-able Backup?

No, Cove Data Protection is fully SaaS-based with no appliances or hardware required. It offers a cloud management console accessible from anywhere with no upfront hardware investment.

Source
Clonezilla: Can I use Clonezilla commercially?

Yes, Clonezilla's GPL v2 license allows free commercial use. The software is open-source and requires no licensing fees for any deployment scenario.

N-able Backup: How often can backups be scheduled with Cove?

Cove's TrueDelta technology enables backups as frequently as every 15 minutes, eliminating redundancies and ensuring minimal data loss windows.

Source
N-able Backup: Does Cove offer ransomware protection?

Yes, Cove includes ransomware resilience through immutable backup copies and isolated backups kept separate by default, providing protection against encryption attacks.

Source
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